On the whole, I think it's fair to call A Farewell to Kings one of Rush's most wide-ranging albums. The original vinyl version has an odd dichotomy though, separating the more pop-leaning songs onto the second side along with mammoth album closer "Cygnus X-1". That said, I don't think it could have been sequenced better.
Side A contains the title track (and opener) plus massive progressive track "Xanadu". The Rush epics we've looked at previously were in a straight line from "By-Tor" to "2112". "Xanadu" takes the lessons learned from these songs, pares down the length slightly (though it should be noted that it's still the longest song on this album), and presents a more digestible whole.
While the song certainly goes places, it's not in a totally weird way like the epics of Caress of Steel, but it's not segmented into different parts that have wide tonal variations like "2112", either. So in a sense, "Xanadu" is the template for epics to come as well as being one of the greatest expressions of an epic-length track by the band in their time producing such songs.
The album opens with the title track. It's comparable to previous album openers "Anthem" or "Bastille Day", maybe a touch slower and with an arrangement that is fairly complex. After a frighteningly difficult acoustic intro, there is what basically amounts to another intro on electric guitar where the other instruments come in. Then the song enters into a more orthodox verse-chorus-bridge section before a fabulous guitar solo crushes the listener.
The track ends lyrically on an ellipse that implies continuation, not in the next track, but in track 3.
Side B contains three short songs that lean in a decidedly more melodic direction. If "A Farewell to Kings" presents a set of problems with authority and the roles we play in our own lives, then "Closer to the Heart" is something akin to the solution. It has also become something of a rallying cry for fans of the band (much like how the starman logo from the cover of 2112 has become the de facto visual symbol), though I must admit that I don't care for it much. "Cinderella Man" has lyrics written by Geddy Lee; this track is a bit more rock-oriented in general. "Madrigal" closes out the melodic trio with a quiet ode to home and the people waiting there.
Two of the most effective moments of the album are the solo in "Xanadu" and the outro to "Cygnus X-1". The guitar solo in "Xanadu", simply put, is Lifeson's best. Of course, others will point to "Limelight" or whatever else. To me, it'll always be the one in "Xanadu". It is approachable, melodic, and has an appropriate amount of emotion to close out the song with a bang. There are plenty of bends and fast fretting runs up and down. In short, it's exciting and adds plenty of appeal to the song.
"Cygnus X-1" closes out the album, yet is only the first part of a duo. It is more obviously segmented as the band goes through a number of themes before arriving at the conclusion. And really, the conclusion must be heard to be believed; Lee normally sang in a high register, but at the end of "Cygnus X-1" he really goes for it.
To wit: Sound and fury/Drown my heart/Every nerve/Is torn apart.
If there's any moment that can be said to be the "most metal" among Rush's catalogue, it's the last stanza of this song. Lifeson quietly strums chords afterward, as the song fades out. It is a powerful moment among many.
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Next time: the Bringer of Wisdom and Bringer of Love wage war upon each other for the hearts and minds of men.
